The known prior art will now be discussed and critiqued. Three general categories of traction devices are known to be used with tracked vehicles; namely studs or detachable chains for ice/snow, and detachable bars for mud/slush.
Studs, as demonstrated in U.S. Pat. No. 7,845,741, are often embedded into the rubber material of a track, protruding into the slippery surface. Unfortunately, studs are often not removable, and if they are torn free from the track, the damage created can entail replacing the entire track. Also, studs flex with the track because they are embedded into its resilient material, but they do not attach to the track as securely as they could be if they were affixed completely through the entire track.
Detachable chains, as demonstrated in U.S. Pat. No. 8,016,369, are used with specialized track designs, which enable them to be secured as shown and removed when not needed. However, chains tend to get clogged with ice/snow, tend to fall off when needed most, and often do not prevent sideways motion when traversing inclines.
Detachable bars, as demonstrated in U.S. Pat. No. 2,967,737 and U.S. Pat. No. 8,424,981, have been used to improve traction in deep slushy & muddy terrains, but they do not prevent sideways motion when traversing inclines, they can get clogged like chains, and they act more like paddles, which don't work unless you are going in a perfectly straight line.